Boruto -Naruto Next Generations- – 42

“A Ninja’s Job”

「忍者のお仕事」 (Ninja no oshigoto)

Post-War Pains in Konoha

Hagaruma’s plight highlights a serious socio-economic problem that plagues us in modern times. Capitalists may advocate trickle down economics, but when your typical wages cannot keep up with the rate of inflation, can you honestly say that everyone is getting richer? While general wealth is on the rise, the income inequality continues to widen: the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those with money are also the ones who use their economic power as a nasty leverage. The workers get exploited by their higher ups, and are easily expendable as the system sees fit. Unfortunately, this isn’t just limited to programming for video games. Could this possibly have been a silent cry by overworked animators? Who knows. Socio-economic issues fascinate me, and I’m absolutely astounded that a kids show like Boruto would try to broach such a contentious subject.

That said, this episode hit too close to home and for the wrong reason. You might think that I’m a poor blogger who gets exploited by a tyrannical overlord. Or perhaps I’m a university student who gets treated unfairly by professors, who are actively ignoring the validity in my legal arguments. However, I can 100% guarantee that these wouldn’t apply for me. I have a fantastic working relationship with my various professors, and I get on swimmingly well with the staff on Random Curiosity. Plus I absolutely love writing for Random Curiosity, as it’s one of my dreams which came true. Anyway, for those wondering, I managed to talk someone out of committing suicide. Believe me when I say it was unimaginably stressful and ranks up there as being one of the worst experiences in my life.

Attempted Suicide

Words cannot describe how badly it messed me up for a long time. Even though she promised me she would never attempt it again, I began to experience random panic attacks during my daily life, at the very thought that she might suddenly decide to give it a go once again. It might look like an easy way out of a hopeless situation, and typically it is. That’s only because you won’t be around to suffer the consequences, the ones that would break the hearts of everyone who cared about you.

On the one hand, I’m quite miffed that Boruto took the incident in his stride without exhibiting any concern. Having been in that situation myself, I hate how Boruto treated this mission like a game to further his progression as a shinobi. He literally doesn’t care that a guy is about to kill himself, despite being straight up informed by the police chief, only becoming serious once goaded by Sarada. However, I’m also pleasantly surprised that the series decided to tackle the topic of suicide, even if it was done in a trivial fashion. Additionally, Boruto fundamentally recognises that human life holds importance, and asserts a strong belief through his successful application of Talk no Jutsu. He might lack the maturity to fully process the gravity of Hagaruma’s situation, but at least his heart is purely gold, where he wholeheartedly thinks of how he can do the right thing in saving Hagaruma’s life.

Concluding Thoughts

While I think that this episode could have done a better job tackling the significant themes on the table, I thought it was a fantastic effort for something that was ultimately filler. We weren’t only receiving action against criminal organisations, where Neo Team 7 could effortlessly demonstrate what incredible prodigies they are. We’re also seeing the incorporation of real problems from the everyday life of a working adult. But ultimately, I think that they superficially explore this topic and merely use it as a platform for Boruto to change his bratty perspective – the one where he thought tasks weren’t worth doing without the recognition. While that’s not a bad thing, as I’ve expressed earlier on, the lack of maturity in conjunction with such weighty topics left me rather annoyed. I’m also uncomfortable with the power of money prevailing, since it’s only a band-aid fix to a huge problem. Not everything can be resolved through money, and it sends out the wrong message. At the end of the day, workers can still be exploited, and lack agency over their lives. As such, Naruto should really look into creating some trade unions.

The lack of worker protection has allowed for some dubious organisation to secretly pull the strings from behind disillusioned individuals. Hagaruma’s attempt to rob a bank and commit suicide were no coincidence, and I look forwards to seeing how Neo Team 7 might further investigate the reason behind his actions. I would wager that the villain shown at the end has some sort of connection with Haku, by also wearing a mask, in addition to possessing ice as his kekkei genkai.

Not everything can be resolved through money, and it sends out the wrong message. At the end of the day, workers can still be exploited, and lack agency over their lives. As such, Naruto should really look into creating some trade unions.

What? Greedy workers conspiring together to attack beleaguered entrepeneurs? Implying that personal problems related to work have wider social roots that require wider social responses instead of some motivationals and self-help lessons? Heresy!

Kidding, I agree with you, although I must say I’m not really annoyed by how they tackled the issue of suicide (and believe me, it’s a subject that hits very, very close home too). Yes, it was superficial, yes, the resolution was too easy, but it was shown without taboos, the social causes were discussed and the guy wasn’t blamed for his situation. Given the usual treatment of suicide in fiction and non-fiction (either non-existent or turned into cheap fuel for tragedy or edginess), that a series like Boruto addressed it is a small victory in my book.

Certainly, Boruto’s writers seem to be using the setting to explore modern tropes. The absence of Naruto at home due to overwork, industrialization, immigrant communities in Konoha, mixed children, terrorist attacks, post-war loose ends, cultural change, and now job exploitation, worker rights, depression and suicide. The series is bright, and colourful, and optimistic, and that simple attitude may hurt the seriousness of the message, but at the same time I suspect it may let them get away with things that they wouldn’t dare to tackle otherwise.

Not everything can be resolved through money, and it sends out the wrong message. At the end of the day, workers can still be exploited, and lack agency over their lives. As such, Naruto should really look into creating some trade unions.

Well maybe Kawaki will have some very valid points in the future. The rapid advancement and change in the social economic aspects of the ninja world must have affected a lot of people negatively as well. The 7 posers of the Mist acted out the way they did for a reason. A bad reason, but a reason nevertheless.

Not surprised Boruto didn’t really treat suicide with the gravity required. He is technically a child soldier reserve, whose teammate had just recently caved in a man’s chest. Death probably means something else to him.

Also funny that you mentioned unions. Hashirama’s original view of larger ninja villages instead of smaller ninja clans was a union of sorts, to prevent heavy exploitation of the ninjas by the feudal lords.